How Do I Add a Camera to My NVR when it is on my Main Network?

Try not to Put Cameras on your Main Network

Ideally, you want your cameras on their own (camera-only) network, so that they are separated from computer traffic and hidden from hackers. When you add an IP camera on your main network, you expose it to hackers. Surveillance cameras when hacked are not primarily hacked to see video data, but rather to see non-camera network traffic (such as online transactions on your computer). Please consult our Best Practices for preventing IOT Security Camera Hacks guide for more details on what has been happening and how our NVRs hide cameras.

When Used as Designed our NVRs Hide Your Cameras from Hackers

Our two lines of NVRs hide cameras in two different ways:

(1) Our Imperial Line allows you to add cameras through POE switches that are on their own camera network - not on your main network.

(2) Our Admiral NVRs allow you to add IP Cameras to the NVR though its POE ports (again, hidden from hackers).

Connecting to a Camera on Your Main Network

Sometimes you may have a camera that connects to a PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch. The PoE Switch will need to be connected to the same Network that the NVR is connected to. If you plug a PoE switch into one of the camera ports on the back of the NVR, the cameras will fight for control of the port. All camera ports on an NVR are created for one camera per one port, anymore than that will create a bottleneck, which will cause issues down the road.

When the camera is connected to the PoE you will need to assign it an IP address. Once the IP address is assigned to the camera, you can modify one of the existing channels on the NVR from plug and play to Manual/IP address and input the IP address of the camera.

Sometimes you may have a camera that connects to a PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch. The PoE Switch will need to be connected to the same Network that the NVR is connected to. If you plug a PoE switch into one of the camera ports on the back of the NVR, the cameras will fight for control of the port. All camera ports on an NVR are created for one camera per one port, anymore than that will create a bottleneck, which will cause issues down the road.

When the camera is connected to the PoE you will need to assign it an IP address. Once the IP address is assigned to the camera, you can modify one of the existing channels on the NVR from plug and play to Manual/IP address and input the IP address of the camera.

Guides on Adding a Networked Camera for each of SCW NVR Lines:

Admiral Line NVRs

Imperial Line NVRs

Vanguard Line NVRs

Executive Line NVRs

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